Anybody growing their own phytoplankton?

[ReefJerk]

Does anyone local grow their own phyto? I have a few questions about starting up a culture.

 

[COreefer]

Just an FYI...we are having a guest speaker at our March meeting who is going to discuss culturing phyto, and rotifers, among other things.

 

[ReefJerk]

Cool. I look forward to seeing the specifics on the March meeting.

 

[The Haj]

If you have any questions before the meeting feel free to pm me.

 

[normanviking]

I grew my phyto for awhile. Pretty easy. I used the directions off of Melevs site.

 

[reefkoi]

Why did you stop Dan?

 

[normanviking]

I used the tubing from a brine shrimp hatchery at later and then started getting brine shrimp growing in my phyto. Chrased the pytho and I never restarted. Wanted to just never have. It was so easy to do.

 

[ReefJerk]

So, Dan where did you get your starter culture? Did you just buy a bottle of DT's and use that?

 

[normanviking]

Yup, DT's. Do you have the link to Melevs?

 

[ReefJerk]

Yep. I looked it over. That recipe is so simple. Starter culture, MiracleGrow plant food, and tap water. That works for me. Do you use the whole bottle for the starter culture?

 

[normanviking]

I split it into four bottles.

 

[ReefJerk]

That works. So, for 15 bux for DT's and 5 bux for the MiracleGrow, you can get 2 gallons of phyto, minus the cost of the saltwater of course. That's a pretty sweet deal. I think I might have to go for it. How much did you dose in your 180? I was thinking of about 4 ounces every other day.

 

[normanviking]

I do not remember how much I dosed. I thought you used freshwater though. Oh I remember a diluted mix of salt water. Right? It was cool doing it. I wanted to grow brin, phyto, and rotifers. One day I will start that back up. Just do what he said about replaceing your rigidtubing, airline tubing, and bottles. That is what got me. I was getting it to grow so dark and then the brine started growing in there. CRASHED Good luck keep us up to date.

 

[bigsittingrock]

Could you give me the link to Melevs?

 

[normanviking]

Melev's reef

 

[Joe69]

I tried twice and both times it crashed on me. Gave up for now, but will try again when it gets warmer. It was 70 in the room I was using to grow it in and I think that was too cold.

 

[rekn]

i had 3 bottles going for awhile

 

[ReefJerk]

More specifically http://www.melevsreef.com/phytoplankton.html
Near the bottom of the page there is a recipe recap that shows his adopted "simpler" method.